Paramount is gonna call me screaming any moment. But rival studios are telling me they expect Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen to open with a high of $175M for its 5-day opening from Wednesday, June 24 to Sunday, June 28. Because the sequel came onto tracking HUGE today. Paramount will try to lower expectations. But here’s what can’t be argued: Spider-Man 2 opened on Wednesday, June 30, 2004, and did $152 million for its first 5 days. So Transformers 2 feels like at least it should be in the $160+M range. (See my box office report on Transformers 1.)

38 Comments

And the list of @$$holes who stand to benefit financially from this craptacular is ASTOUNDING.

buffy the vampire layer • on Jun 1, 2009 10:00 pm

No surprise. People love giant robots. Recently, a TV spot was cut for this that was the highest testing spot in Marketcast history. Want spots for THE PROPOSAL to test off the charts? Put in giant robots!

trey • on Jun 1, 2009 10:09 pm

Transformers was cool, anyone looking for deep meaning in talking robots, should go somewhere else!! I for one will be at the first show!!!

Judging by the trailers I think it will be worth the price of admission.

Ella • on Jun 1, 2009 10:37 pm

Well that’s an impressive prediction. I can’t say it’s a surprise though. I feel like everybody I know is planning to see this movie. Giant robots do good work apparently.

i like shit blowing up • on Jun 1, 2009 10:38 pm

Film snobs,

Get over it.

Love,
Michael Bay laughing to the bank and the go ahead to make any movie he wants for the rest of his life.

Laura • on Jun 1, 2009 10:55 pm

Between this and Star Trek, Paramount is looking to have a good summer. While I don’t expect anything great/deep from Michael Bay, I do expect mindless fun. I’m sure Transformers 2 won’t disappoint in that aspect so I’ll probably enjoy the movie just fine.

whatever • on Jun 1, 2009 11:21 pm

yes, these films (michael bay especially) seem to draw out a deep seeded insecurity and a sort of reverse american anti-intellectualism (how’s that for film snobbery, you silly bags).

anotherwhatever • on Jun 1, 2009 11:29 pm

The first one worked well because Stephen Spielberg sat on Bay and forced him to deliver character development – at least up to page 75. Then I can just see him saying “Okay kid, knock yourself out” because the only thing that was developed after that was the raw stock.

Jerry • on Jun 2, 2009 1:05 am

If a studio wants to break box office records, then why don’t they release it on a Friday? They release it early and it fizzles out or am I missing the big picture?

Warner Borg • on Jun 2, 2009 4:06 am

People love robots yet Hollywood has yet to make a really great mech movie? What gives?

C’mon people! I fully expect the Monday after Transformers2 opens to see a whole host of old Japanese cartoons being snapped up by studios.

And if Warners can’t get their Robotech project moving while the public clamor for (what is sure to be) nonsense like Transformers 2 then they all deserve to be slapped.

Redmenace • on Jun 2, 2009 4:17 am

I so loathe the crybaby comments of film snobs.We all know a movie about giant robot isn’t going to be intellectually stimulating, that’s why millions of people see them;They want to be entertained, not beating over the head with supposed “deep and meaningful” messages and whatnot.If hollywood made only those “deep and meaningful” films, hollywood would go bankrupt.Some people see films as an art form, others see it as a means to get away from reality, and all the troubles they may have.This has been the case since the beginning of the talking pictures.Now, think very hard about the films of the past(before the 80s) most people loved, that were hammer by critics, and imagine what would be the film industry of today, if those films were never made

Nate • on Jun 2, 2009 5:48 am

It is a summer MOVIE, as in something FUN to go and watch.
It has no conceit that it is great film. You film aficionados should be glad that you have fair warning and can spend your time going to an offering more to your tastes.

Scout • on Jun 2, 2009 7:03 am

The geeks have taken over the world and I love it!

Alboone • on Jun 2, 2009 7:39 am

Big miscalculation. Forget about the five days. It’ll shatter the 3 day record set by The Dark Knight. Even those who found the first one to be shit still want to see this. And on top of that you have sequences that were shot in IMAX. Giant fucking Robots mashing it up on a 70ft screen? Forget it. Money will be raining over Paramount on the 24th.

Jon Peters • on Jun 2, 2009 9:44 am

Add a giant spider and this baby will open HUGE.

PPC Insider • on Jun 2, 2009 9:51 am

“Michael Bay was born to direct TRANSFORMERS”.

–Steven Spielberg

lb • on Jun 2, 2009 10:28 am

All the self-absorbed SAG bacteria are just being negative because the robots don’t get residuals….

Jack • on Jun 2, 2009 11:41 am

won’t break the opening weekend record. Opening weekend only takes into account the Fri-Sun grosses. Even if Transformers gets a higher first 3 days (wed to fri), it won’t be recognized since it is NOT the weekend.

I have a contract • on Jun 2, 2009 12:05 pm

Rumor has it, in Transformers 3, the robots are gonna cross SAG picket lines to go to work!

YorkshireTerrier • on Jun 2, 2009 1:56 pm

Transformers 3 really needs to have Unicron in it. With current special fx tech, it should be very doable to show Unicron attacking the Earth. I can’t believe that they would pass up the opportunity to depict something so grandiose as a robotic, transforming planet attempting to eat planet Earth. That would be coolness squared.

informedviewer • on Jun 2, 2009 2:30 pm

@anotherwhatever: The first one worked well because Stephen Spielberg sat on Bay and forced him to deliver character development – at least up to page 75.

That’s why it DIDN’T work. It’s called TRANSFORMERS, not SHIA and MEGAN.

I can be as much of a film snob as the rest of you…but sometimes I want loud robots blowing stuff up, not a story about a kid and his car.

Jerry • on Jun 3, 2009 1:14 am

I read that Robotech and Voltron are in the works after the first transformers success. I liked the first Transformers so I will watch the sequel.

SimAlex2000 • on Jun 3, 2009 11:19 am

Big robots, big explosions and character development are not mutually exclusive.